Multicolor signal light head



Dec. 20, 1949 e. s. ANDERSON MULTICOLOR SIGNAL LIGHTfiEAD Filed July 2,l948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. AFC/017 5" Anders n Dec. '20, 1949 G. s.ANDERSON 2,491,914

MULTICOLOR SIGNAL LIGHT HEAD Filed July 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. ofiaon S 4/7d FSO 7 BY Patented Dec. 20, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE MULTICOLOR SIGNAL LIGHT HEAD Application July 2, 1948,Serial No. 36,603

9 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in signallingdevices and has particular reference to a flashlight device providedwith a novel signalling head.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel signal head for aflashlight casing whereby various lights of one or different colors maybe illuminated selectively by merely turning a rotatable part of thehead so that a wide cmbination of lights by suitable circuitarrangements may be employed for signalling purposes.

A further object is to provide a combination of elements which afford acompact durable structure which will operate efficiently and standexcessive wear and tear.

A still further object is to provide a device which can be quickly andeasily assembled and disassembled for inspection, replacement and repairwhen desired and which can be operated for signalling purposes by onefinger of the hand holding the device and directing its signallingbeams.

Further and more specific objects, features and advantages will moreclearly appear from a consideration of the detailed specificationhereinafter set forth, especially when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings which illustrate present preferred forms which theinvention may assume and which form part of the specification.

In brief and general terms, the device comprises a unit on the top of aflashlight casing which unit can be rotated by the hand of the personsignalling and which involves a lamp support, a contact plate, and acover for the lamps all interlocked for unitary rotation. The contactson the rotatable plate are associated with contact sockets on a fixedplate of insulation mounted within the top of the casing below therotatable unit and these sockets are selectively connected to conductingstrips suitably connected to one side of the battery. The other side ofthe battery is connected to the shells of the lamps by metallicconnection through the lamp support and the conducting rod which extendsup from the battery-and acts as a bearing axis element for the rotationof the above mentioned unit.

The present preferred forms which the invention may assume, areillustrated in the draw ings, of which,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the device with the upper portion shown .invertical section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device with a portion broken away;

Fig. 3 is a partial exploded perspective view of certain operativeparts;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are cross sectional views taken on the line 55 ofFig. 1 showing different circuit connections which may be employed;

Fig. 9 is a partial section of a modified form of the device, and

Fig. 10 is a front or end view of the modified form.

Referring now merely to the specific forms of the invention illustratedherein, it is seen that the device is connected to an ordinaryflashlight casing l0, containing a battery cell H and the usual thumbswitch button [2 connected to a slidable switch contact finger 13. Theouter end of the casing in is threaded to receive the usual clampingring [4 having an inwardly turned flange 15. The ring M has an innershoulder i6 and within the ring and against this shoulder an insulatingplate I? is tightly disposed. This plate has a series of apertures ofany desired number formed therethrough in which are fitted eyelets ofmetal l8. Against the lower face of the plate I! are disposed a seriesof conducting strips of metal l9, the inner ends of which are bored toembrace an eyelet l8. These strips are preferably integral and inwardlyextending from a conducting annulus 19' disposed against the lower faceof the insulating plate !1. The usual metallic reflector casing 20 isdisposed within the casing Ii) and beneath the plate [1, and

its periphery bears against the contact annulus 'At its bottom thereflector is apertured at 2| and provided with an integral threadedmetal sleeve 22 extending away from the reflector axially aligned withsaid aperture. Threaded with in the sleeve 22 is a metal cup 23, theouter end of which is closed by an insulated plate 24 having a centralmetal stud 25 to contact the terminal 26 of the battery ll. At the innerend of the sleeve 22 near the bottom of the reflector is. an insulatingwasher El which tends to keep the reflector from contact with the metalrod or shaft 29, against the bottom of which is disposed a coiled spring3|] which presses upwardly on the rod 29.

Near the top of rod 29 it has a shoulder 3! on which rests a bored plate32 of metal, the periphery of which rests beneath the flange l5 of thering [4. The plate 32 is provided with a series of insulating sleeves 33spaced thereon in suitableopeningsat desired intervals. These insulatingsleeves 33 act as bearings for metal shafts 34 which are fixed in thesleeves and have springs 35 at their upper ends and contact taperedpoints 36 at their lower ends adapted to engage with the open upper endsof the eyelets l8 previously mentioned. The upper ends of these eyelets1'8 extend into a circular groove or recess 3'! cut in the upper face ofthe insulating plate l1. Across the bottom of the eyelets I8 and bearingthereagainst is an insulating disk 38 against which the upper end of acoiled spring 39 bears, the lower end of this spring resting upon aflanged plate 4!) of insulating material which in turn rests upon key 4|passing through the rod 29. This spring functions to hold the eyelets infirm contact with the contact points 36.

It will be seen in Fig. 3 that the plate or tray 32 is provided adjacentits periphery with a series of spaced apertures 42. Disposed above thetray plate 32 is' an in'verteclsh'allow metal cup having a base 43 and adependent circular flange 44, the lower edge Of which is provided withalternate vertical ears 45 adapted to extend into the apertures '42 inthe plate 32 and horizontal ears 46. I

Disposed above the cup is a glass dome 41 having a circular dependentflange 48 with vertical ears 4 9 along its lower edge which are adaptedto lie between the horizontal ears 46 of the flange 44 of the metal cup.In this manner the plate 5 32, the cup, and the dome are interlocked.They are held in this interlocked condition by reason of the factthatthe upper slender end 50 of the rod 29 extends up into the spacebetween the cup and the dome and is enga 'gedby a screw 5| seated in ahole in the top, of the dome 41. It is clear that the flange 48 of thedome 41 may be grasped by the fingers and turned to turn this unit andthereby turn the contact points 36 to make selective contact with theterminal strips l9 previously mentioned.

The base 43, of the metal cup is provided with metal sleeves 52 formingsockets for signal bulbs 53 and there are as many of these sockets as thre are contact points 36 on the tray plate 32 although the number oflamps used may be a "matter of choice. The central terminals of thelamps engage the springs 35 on the upper end of contactshafts 34.

In the form shown in Figs. 9 and '10, the turning of the tray, thebulb-supporting cup and the dome is achieved by extending the cup up asat 54 and out as at 55'with a periphery formed with scalloped curves 56to enable the finger of the hand grasping the device to turn the unitwhile sti'l holding the device in the same hand.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, the circuit arrangement shown inFig. 5 is for a device carrying four bulbs with two bulbs being energized for each position; Fig. 6'is an arrangement of head with four bulbswith one bulb being energized for each position; Fig. 7 is anarrangement with two bulbs and one bulb being energized for ea'chposition; and Fig. 8 is an arrangement with three bulbs with one bulbbeing energized for each position. It is of course, obvious "that manyother arrangements may be made with different colored bulbs to beenergized either separately or in combination.

Thus it is clear that I have provided a simple compact durable devicewhich can be quickly and easily manipulated to energize one or morelamps 'of diiferent or the same color to give signalsin 'van uslocationsfsuchas airfields, marine bases,

ana indiistrlai mechanicaldepartments, etc.

"sockets at one end While the invention has been described in detail andshown with respect to the accompanying drawing, it is not to be limitedto such details, since many changes and modifications may be made in theinvention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence itis desired to cover any and all forms and modifications of the inventionwhich may come within the language and scope of any one or more of theappended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A signal device having a casing, a rotatable unit disposed at one endof the casing, said unit comprising a lamp support, a light-transmittingcover over the lamp support, and a metal plate below the support, saidelements interlocked and moving as a unit when manipulated.

2. A signal device having a casing, a rotatable unit disposed at one endof the casing, said unit comprising a lamp support, a light-transmittingcover over the lamp support, and a metal plate below the support, saidelements interlocked and moving as a unit when manipulated, a plate ofinsulation fixed in the casing below the unit, and cooperating circuitcontact means on the two "plates to energize the lamps on the support asthe unit is selectively rotated.

3. A signal device having a casing, a rotatable unit disposed at oneend'of the casing, said unit comprising a lamp support, alight-transmitting cover over the lamp support, and a metal plate belowthe support, said elements interlocked and moving as a unit whenmanipulated, a plate of insulation fixed in the casing below the unit,insulated spring pressed contact elements on the metal plate adapted tocontact one side of the lamps on the support, and cooperating socketelements on the plate of insulation adapted to make contact with desiredlamps on the support 'as the unit is selectively rotated.

4. A signal device having a casing, a rotatable unit disposed at one endof the casing, said unit comprising a lampsupport, a light-transmittingcover over the lamp support, and a metal plate below the support, saidelements interlocked and moving as a unit when manipulated, a plate ofinsulation fixed in the casing adjacent the unit, insulated springpressed contact elements on the metal plate adapted to contact One sideof the lamps on the support, cooperating metal socket elements on theplate of insulation and adapted to make contact with desired lamps onthe support as the unit is selectively rotated, a battery in saidcasing, means connected to one pole of the battery and to the metal lampsupport, and means connected to the other pole of the battery and thesocket elements, and a manual switch in said last-mentioned connection.

5. A signal device having a casing, a battery in said casing, a metalreflector above said battery, a switch connecting one pole of saidbattery to said reflector, an insulated plate fixed in the casing, acontact 'annulus'flxed to said plate and engaged by said reflector,metal sockets mounted on said insulated plate, contact strips connectingsa d sockets with said annulus, a rotatable unit above said insulatedplate and comprising a lamp support, a light-transmittingcover forsaidsupport, and a metal plate below said support, said unit elementsbeing interlocked for unitary rotation, spring-pressed contact elementson said metal plate and insulatingly "supported thereon, said contactelements adapted to contact the and one side of the lamps at the otherwhen the unit is selectively rotated, a

metal rod connected to said unit and acting as a bearing during itsrotation, said rod being insulated from said metal plate and from thereflector and connected at one end to the other pole of the battery.

6. A signal device having a casing, a battery therein, and a reflectorcasing above the battery and insulated therefrom, switch meansconnecting one pole of the battery to the reflector, a

fixed plate of insulation in the casing above the reflector, socketelements on said plate, means connecting said sockets conductively tosaid refiector, a rotary unit above said plate of insulation andcomprising a lamp support of metal, a light-transmitting cover for saidsupport, and a metal plate below the lamp support, said elements of saidunit interlocked for unitary rotation, spring-pressed contacts on themetal plate adapted to engage one side of the lamps on the support andthe sockets as the unit is rotated, and metallic means acting as abearing for the rotation of the unit, said metallic means conductivelyconnected to the lamp support, insulated from the reflector andconnected to the other pole of the battery.

7. A signal device having a casing, a battery therein, and a reflectorcasing above the battery and insulated therefrom, switch meansconnecting one pole of the battery to the reflector, a

fixed plate of insulation in the casing above the reflector, socketelements on said plate, means connecting said sockets conductively tosaid reflector, a rotary unit above said plate of insulation andcomprising a lamp support of metal, a light-transmitting cover for saidsupport, and a metal plate below the lamp support, said elements of saidunit interlocked for unitary rotation, spring-pressed contacts on themetal plate adapted to engage one side of the lamps on the support andthe sockets as the unit is rotated, and metallic means acting as abearing for the rotation of the unit, said metallic means conductivelyconnected to the lamp support, insulated from the reflector andconnected to the other pole of the battery, spring means connected tothe plate of insulation and the metallic means to hold the rotary unitin close relation to the plate of insulation, and spring means tomaintain contact between the metallic means and the other pole of thebattery.

8. Asignal device having a casing and a battery therein, which comprisesa rotary lamp unit at the end of the casing, a fixed plate of insulationin the casing below said unit, socket means on said plate, meansconnecting said socket means to said battery optionally, contactelements on said rotary unit to engage said sockets selectively as theunit is rotated, and a single means acting as bearing for the rotationof said unit, said single means electrically connected to one side ofthe lamps on said unit and to the other pole of the battery.

9. A signal device having a casing, a rotatable unit at one end of thecasing and comprising a lamp support, a light-transmitting cover forsaid support, a metal plate below the lamp support, said unit elementsbeing connected to rotate as one, said metal plate having a peripherywhich is extended laterally beyond the casing and is scalloped to bemanipulatable by the hand of the person holding the device in his hand.

GORDON S. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name- Date 1,448,354 Barany Mar. 13, 19231,613,203 Shannon Jan. 4, 1927 1,711,667 Barber et al. May 7, 19292,070,472 Criswell Feb. 9, 1937 2,251,920 Deicken Aug. 12, 1941

